Articles
MUSKMELON FRUIT YIELD AND QUALITY RESPONSE TO CHICKEN LITTER USED AS PREPLANT FERTILIZER
Article number
700_49
Pages
279 – 284
Language
English
Abstract
With increasing fertilizer costs and the development of nutrient Best Management Practices, muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) growers are seeking alternative cultural practices that reduce production costs without reducing fruit yield or quality.
Although chicken litter (CL) is locally available, reports of salt-burn injury have limited its use.
Muskmelons were grown with plasticulture to determine the most appropriate rate of CL that may be used to replace the pre-plant fertilizer currently used.
Treatments were 4480 and 8960 kg ha-1 of CL with or without the addition of 56 kg N as 13-1.8-10.8 (N-P-K) chemical fertilizer.
It was measured that 1000 kg of CL contained 25 kg of N and assumed that 50% of that N was available for the muskmelon crop.
Three other treatments received no CL, but received 56, 112, or 168 (recommended N rate) kg ha-1 of N as 13-1.8-10.8. All plots also received a total of 112 kg ha-1 of injected N using liquid 8-0-7. None of the plants showed signs of fertilizer burn.
The interaction between variety and total marketable yield was significant.
For Athena, treatments significantly affected season (9 harvests) marketable yield (p<0.01), but not early marketable yield (p>0.53; 4841 kg ha-1; 2 harvests). Athena plants receiving the higher CL rate had significantly greater season marketable yield (59,044 kg ha-1) than those receiving no CL (46,033 kg ha-1). Season marketable yield significantly (p=0.01) increased as 13-1.8-10.8 rate increased when no CL was used.
The addition of 13-1.8-10.8 when CL was used preplant at either rate did not significantly (p>0.40) increase season marketable yield.
Fruit soluble solids content at harvest ranged between 11.4 and 12.2°Brix and was not significantly (p=0.25) affected by treatments.
These results suggest that CL at 4480 kg ha-1 increased muskmelon season marketable yield and quality, but not early marketable yield.
The risk of NO3 leaching, excessive phosphorus application, and pathological contaminations need also to be considered when muskmelons are grown with CL.
Although chicken litter (CL) is locally available, reports of salt-burn injury have limited its use.
Muskmelons were grown with plasticulture to determine the most appropriate rate of CL that may be used to replace the pre-plant fertilizer currently used.
Treatments were 4480 and 8960 kg ha-1 of CL with or without the addition of 56 kg N as 13-1.8-10.8 (N-P-K) chemical fertilizer.
It was measured that 1000 kg of CL contained 25 kg of N and assumed that 50% of that N was available for the muskmelon crop.
Three other treatments received no CL, but received 56, 112, or 168 (recommended N rate) kg ha-1 of N as 13-1.8-10.8. All plots also received a total of 112 kg ha-1 of injected N using liquid 8-0-7. None of the plants showed signs of fertilizer burn.
The interaction between variety and total marketable yield was significant.
For Athena, treatments significantly affected season (9 harvests) marketable yield (p<0.01), but not early marketable yield (p>0.53; 4841 kg ha-1; 2 harvests). Athena plants receiving the higher CL rate had significantly greater season marketable yield (59,044 kg ha-1) than those receiving no CL (46,033 kg ha-1). Season marketable yield significantly (p=0.01) increased as 13-1.8-10.8 rate increased when no CL was used.
The addition of 13-1.8-10.8 when CL was used preplant at either rate did not significantly (p>0.40) increase season marketable yield.
Fruit soluble solids content at harvest ranged between 11.4 and 12.2°Brix and was not significantly (p=0.25) affected by treatments.
These results suggest that CL at 4480 kg ha-1 increased muskmelon season marketable yield and quality, but not early marketable yield.
The risk of NO3 leaching, excessive phosphorus application, and pathological contaminations need also to be considered when muskmelons are grown with CL.
Publication
Authors
D. Studstill, E. Simonne, R.C. Hochmuth, G. Hochmuth
Keywords
Best Management Practices, nitrate, potassium, poultry manure, Cucumis melo
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